Release-rigging for car-couplings.



(Application filed Oct. 10, 1902.)

Patented Dec. 23, I902.

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SIM W UNTTE STATES PATENT @rrrcn.

WILLIAM F. KIESEL, JR, OF ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA.

RELEASE-RIGGING FOR CAR-COUPLINGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 716,554, dated December 23, 1902.

Application filed October 10, 1902. Serial No. 126,716. (No model.)

.To ctZZ 107mm, if; may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. KIESEL, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Altoona, in the county of Blair and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Release-Rigging for Car-Couplers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in the appliances which are used in connection with automatic couplers on freight and other cars whereby the trainmen are enabled to manipulate'the locking-pin or other knuckledogging device from a position at the side of the car, thereby relieving them from the danger incident to going between the cars when coupling or uncoupling them; and the objectof myimprovements is to provide a mechanism of this kind which shall be of simple construction, produced at a minimum cost, and operated in a certain desirable manner, as will hereinafter appear.

A further object is to so arrange my rigging as to render it especially applicable to cars with steel underframes.

I attain my object by means of the construction and arrangement of the several parts of the rigging, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a plan view of my rigging as applied to the end and side sills of the steel underframe of a freight-car; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the same, and Figs. 3 and 4E sectional details of the several parts.

A represents an operating-shaft cut from a square bar of steeland having attached at each end, by means of a split cotter or other suitable fastening device, a dog B, having an inwardlyprojecting sleeve or trunnion G. The inward ends of these sleeves or trunnions O are journaled in corresponding holes drilled through the side sills D, the side sills at these points being preferably reinforced in order to form a suitable bearing for these sleeves. Loosely mounted upon the sleeves, between the dogs and the side sills, by means of the eyes E, are the operating-levers F, by which the shaft A is turned. These operating-levers are provided with offsets at f to bring them into engagement with the dogs B to throw the shaft in one direction. By this arrangement of the dogs and operating-levers it will be apparent that when one of the levers is manipulated to turn the shaft the lever on the opposite side of the car will hang stationary. By this construction also the levers are set in close to the car-frame and out of the way as much as possible. Fitted upon the shaft is the central lifting-lever I, which is coupled by link L to the locking-pin P of the coupler by means of clevises, as shown. This lever where it is fitted upon the shaft A is provided with trunnions J J, which are journaled in the bearing boxes or blocks H, which rest upon and are bolted to an angle-plate G, which is riveted to the end or cross sill N of the steel car-frame. This angle-plate passes across the car between the side sills and forms with the floor or platform K of the car a protective box or housing for the shaft A. The lever I passes up through a slot in the floor or platform K, as indicated in Fig. 4.. By this arrangement the releaserigging is located beneath the car floor or platform and completely protected from in- J A s will be seen, the dogs may be cast from one pattern, and in assembling the parts all that will be required is to cut the bar A to a suitable length, slip the lifting-lever I thereon, and fit the dogs upon the ends of the shaft and secure them there by means of the cotters after the shaft has been set in place between the side sills D.

While I have thus described my releaserigging as applied to the steel nnderframe of a car, which type of underframe is now coming into adoption by car-builders, I do not wish to be confined to this application of my device, as it may also be applied to cars of wooden construction and may be located above the car floor or platform as well as beneath it in the manner described.

I am aware that heretofore a release-riggin g of this type has been devised embodying the feature of the loosely-mounted operating-levers, and I do not, therefore,.claim this idea as my invention.

What I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A release-rigging for car-couplers comprising a square shaft passing from one side of the car to the other, a dog provided with a sleeve or trunnionfitted upon each end of said shaft and secured thereto, bearings for said sleeves at each side of the car, operating-levers loosely mounted upon said sleeves between the dogs and their bearings, ofisets on said levers adapted to engage the dogs to throw the shaft in one direction, a central lifting-lever fitted upon said shaft in position to be coupled to the locking-pin of the coupler, trunnions projecting from each side of said lever on the shaft, and bearings therefor attached to the car-frame.

2. In a release-rigging for car-couplers, the

combination with the operating-shaft,of a dog provided with a sleeve or trunnion fitted upon each end of the shaft and secured thereto, bearings for said sleeves at each side of the car, and operating-levers loosely mounted upon said sleeves between the dogs and their bearings, said levers being provided with offsets to engage the dogs to throw the shaft in one direction.

3. The combination, with the side sills of a car-frame, of an operating-shaft for a coupler-release passing through said sills from one side of the car to the other, dogs provided with sleeves or trunnions attached to the ends of said shaft and journaled in said sills, operating levers loosely mounted upon said sleeves between the dogs and side sills, offsets on said levers to engage the dogs to throw the shaft in one direction, and a lifting-lever carried by the shaft in position to be coupled to the locking-pin of the coupler.

4. The combination, with the underframe of a car, comprising end and side sills, of an angle-plate secured to the end sill between the side sills, an operating-shaft for a coupler-release passing through the side sills from one side of the car to the other and positioned between said angle-plate and the car-floor, a central lifting-lever on said shaft passing out through the floor or platform in position to be coupled to the locking-pin of the coupler, bearings for said lever carried by said angleplate, and operating-levers attached to the projecting ends of said shaft.

5. The combination with the under-frame of a car, comprising end and side sills, of an angle-plate secured to the end sill between the side sills, a square shaft passing through the side sills from one side of the car to the other and housed between said angle-plate and the car-floor, a central lifting-lever fitted upon said shaft and passing out through the floor or platform in position to be coupled to the locking-pin of a coupler, trunnions on said lever, bearing-blocks for said trunnions secured to the angle-plate, a dog provided with a sleeve or trunnion fitted upon each end of said shaft and secured thereto, bearings for said sleeves in the side sills, and operating-levers loosely mounted upon said sleeves between the dogs and said sills, said levers being provided with offsets to engage the dogs to throw the shaft in one direction.

In testimony whereof I have afliXed my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

WILLIAM F. KIESEL, JR. Witnesses:

FRANCIS N. PARIS, CHARLES W. KEPHART. 

